F*ck Fate! (Book 3)

Chapter Ten: Talking About Boys

Andy

I looked up at Lance after Shawn stormed away from us. "Did I miss something?"

He shrugged. "I think your friend just broke up with his girl."

Lance seemed a little uneasy. I wasn't sure if it was seeing the break up or whatever that phone call he ducked out of the store to take was about. I felt like I didn't have a right to pry, so I didn't ask.

"Oh," I said instead. "That's too bad. But here, I got us both muffins. They're really good while also being super healthy."

He took his with a small thanks, before saying, "Look, Andy. I'm really sorry to have to do this, but I need to cut this date short. Something came up, otherwise I wouldn't leave. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course," I said automatically. "Go do what you have to do." He turned to leave, but I called after him. "Hey Lance?" When he looked at me, I smiled. "Thanks for tonight. I had a lot of fun."

He smiled back at me and walked back over. Then he leaned over and placed a quick kiss to my lips. "Me too."

I watched as he hurried off down the street, a smile still on my face. Lance really was nice and he didn't judge me for my handicap, like so many others have. I could definitely see us moving forward with this relationship.

But then a part of my mind went back to Shawn. What had actually happened moments before I came out here? Apparently Shawn was now single, but I couldn't understand why it had happened in the middle of the street, barely ten minutes after we saw them in the coffee shop, looking like the perfect couple. Was that the reason he was so curt with us? Because he was hurt?

Then an absurd thought popped into my head. Could something Shawn had said scared Lance off? I hadn't seen Meg, which meant she had gone long before I came out of the bakery with our muffins. So Lance and Shawn had time to talk for a bit. Unless Lance was telling the truth and that call was an emergency so he had to leave. I should give him the benefit of the doubt. Just because every other guy I've ever been out with has found some excuse to leave and never call me back doesn't mean Lance is the same. I had a tendency to overthink things.

I pulled out my phone to check the time. Almost nine. It was still early enough to stay out a bit later. So I called Kat, asking her to meet me downtown. She immediately agreed, needing to know the details.

Fifteen minutes later, we had met up. Kat immediately sat on the bench I had parked myself next to, eager for me to start talking.

"So? How'd it go?"

I couldn't help but smile. "I had a lot of fun, Kat. Thanks for setting that up for me."

"And you wanted to skip over him. Did you guys kiss?"

I nodded a little. "Just one. Quick. Something came up and he had to leave. Otherwise there might have been more. You know, him walking me back home... Me inviting him in... Then we'd-"

"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there, horn dog."

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "Do you know how long it's been for me? I don't care if I can't feel much of anything down there, I still have to get some every now and then."

"Yeah, okay then. I don't need to know those details." She shook her head, quietly laughing. "Anyway... you think you'd want to go out with him again?"

"I think so," I answered honestly. "There's just... no, it's nothing. I would love to go out with him again."

Kat looked at me strangely for a moment. "Give it up, Williams. Whatever is on your mind isn't 'nothing'. Spill."

With a sigh, I told her. "I met this guy yesterday." Her eyes widened and she leaned forward, eager for the drama. "He's cute - really pretty green eyes. He works as a cashier at that fast food place. I... I went back there for lunch again today so I could see him again."

"Andy! First off, that stuff is crap and you know it. And second, is that where you ran off to after lunch? And you didn't invite me with you?"

"Sorry, Kat. I honestly didn't know I'd end up there when I left the dining hall."

I then proceeded to tell her the rest of what I know. How yesterday he blurted out having a girlfriend and the conversation I overheard between him and that friend of his today. How I saw him again on my date and how he is no longer in a relationship. How he stormed off, angry.

"Obviously, you're attracted to this guy," Kat said as soon as I finished. "Don't kid yourself, Andy. I haven't seen you so focused on one guy in a while. But why chase him when you have Lance, who is ridiculously attractive and has already gone out with you once? You got along really well with him. How do you know you even have anythin' in common with this Shawn guy? And he probably isn't going to be looking for a relationship anytime soon. Plus, you can't be sure that what you overheard meant he's bi. Somethin' else could have gone down in his past that has nothin' to do with him dating a guy."

"Sure sounded like it though," I muttered even though I knew Kat was probably right. When it came to guys, I was practically clueless, despite the fact that I was also a guy. It just wasn't fair.

Kat reached over and put her hand on my arm. "Forget about Shawn, okay?" she said. "He's not worth this much stress."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I also shouldn't keep eating all that fast food."

"Damn right!" she exclaimed, backing off me again. "I still can't believe you ate there once, let alone two days in a row! What were you thinkin'?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "Yesterday was your fault, but as far as going again today... Apparently, I wasn't thinking."

"No, you weren't. So start using that head of yours, Williams."

"Yeah, yeah." I looked at the time on my phone with a sigh. "I should get going. It's late."

Kat stood up. "Good idea. I still got homework to finish for class."

I rolled my eyes. She's always been the worst procrastinator I've ever met. "You should go do that," I told her as we started heading down the street towards her dorm building. We then started a conversation about said homework assignment, which only ended at the door of her building with me refusing to give her the answers.

"Good night, Kat," I told her.

She smiled, a hand on the door handle. "I'm glad you had fun with Lance tonight. Sometimes I get 'em right."

I shook my head with a small smile while she walked inside. I just hoped she really was right about Lance, but at the same time, I wanted her to be wrong about Shawn too.